Monday Morning Impact – May 4

By Ken Presti, Senior Consultant, Channel Impact

Unidesk Expands Partner Program to Broaden VDI Opportunity for VARs

Unidesk Corporation, a Marlborough, Mass.-based provider of desktop and application management software for the cloud, announced that it has expanded its Unidesk Solution Partner (USP) program to provide partners with the resources needed to support effective VDI engagements.

The company says that VDI has been stalled by cost and complexity, preventing VARs from fully capitalizing on the opportunity to help customers provide access to Windows applications anytime, anywhere, from any device.

The updated program is expected to help partners to bid on any VDI opportunity, leveraging Citrix XenDesktop, Microsoft VDI and VMware Horizon on both Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware vSphere at price points lower than PC replacement. The expanded USP program provides a one-stop shop for lead generation, sales enablement, education and training, and support, as well as access to Unidesk team.

“Our expanded program meets the needs of our growing partner base by delivering meaningful value and impact to their business,” said Samantha Foster, vice president of alliances and channel, Unidesk. “VDI has been too complex and challenging. Now, our partners – a true extension of our company – have a customer-proven solution, game-changing technology, support for Citrix, Microsoft and VMware, and the tools they need to identify, nurture, and close business.”

Unidesk claims more than 1,000 customers, most of which purchase through the channel.

Channel Impact
New technology inflection points often prove to be problematic for channel partners, who need to adapt to new shifts in the technology landscape while still preserving their legacy businesses. Vendors that help partners to navigate these changes through the use of innovative partner programs often garner additional channel loyalty, leading to higher sales.

Aerohive Rolls Out New Partner Program and Channel Chief

Aerohive Networks has taken the wraps off of its new Aerohive Advantage Partner program, designed to support, recognize and reward the company’s top performing channel partners. The program consists of four pillars – Capacity, Competency, Engagement and Profitability – to advance a value-based channel model. The new program goes into effect immediately and will be rolled out across the globe throughout the next six months.

The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company has also appointed veteran channel strategist Johnna Bowley as vice president of worldwide sales operations and global channels. Bowley brings more than 20 years of experience developing and delivering award-winning channel strategies, programs and new routes to market for high-tech companies. She was most recently vice president for channel strategy at Channel Impact. Previous channel leadership positions include Riverbed Technology, EMC, NetApp and Compaq.

“It’s very exciting to be part of a company so dedicated to driving channel success that it has combined the core sales operations function together with global channels to create one streamlined sales motion,” said Bowley. “Our new Aerohive Advantage Partner Program will serve as the framework for that sales motion and will empower our channel partners to grow their businesses by partnering with Aerohive to capitalize on the enormous mobility solution market opportunity.”

Channel Impact
The move to a value-based partner program is arguably the most prevalent ongoing transition in the tech industry. In addition, the team at Channel Impact says goodbye to Johnna Bowley, and wishes her well.

Global 3D Printing Market to Grow 56% in 2015

The worldwide market for 3D printers, and associated materials and services will reach US$5.2 billion by 2015, up from US$3.3 billion in 2014, growing 56%, according to Canalys, an industry research firm that specializes in channel strategies. This number is expected to grow to US$20.2 billion by 2019, representing an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 44% from 2014 to 2019.

“As we expected, the 3D printing market has grown substantially over the past few years,” said Canalys Research Analyst Joe Kempton. “We have seen improving print speeds, a wider range of materials and new forms of additive manufacturing methods. There has also been a substantial increase in the number of vendors entering this space, with many coming from Asia, challenging the previous dominance of 3D printing hotspots such as Germany and the USA. Alongside this we have seen more ‘traditional’ technology players becoming increasingly involved in the market, bringing accelerated growth, which accounts for the fast evolving nature of the industry. In the next five years, more companies will move in to establish their own niches, as 3D printing begins to permeate across more sectors. Long-existing vendors such as Stratasys and 3D Systems are well placed to take advantage of this growth but may find their dominant positions challenged by newer rivals.”

Channel Impact
While 3D printing has not yet reached critical mass from the point of view of most channel partners, this is a critical space for partners to watch – particularly as the technology evolves and the numbers gather momentum.